1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to photographic apparatus and more particularly to non-collapsible photographic camera apparatus of the single lens reflex type.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Thin and compact collapsible photographic cameras of the reflex type have been developed wherein the exposure of the film unit is electronically controlled and the film unit may be rapidly processed at a processing station within the photographic camera. A version of such a camera having a compactness and thinness during the collapsed mode suited to permit convenient carrying in the pocket of a garment is described in a U.S. Patent entitled "Reflex Camera" by E. H. Land, No. 3,672,281. Such cameras are of the single lens reflex variety and require a complex exposure control system in order to accommodate a requisite viewing and focusing mode during which time the single lens reflex camera is in a normally open status to unblock the passage of light through the exposure opening to a viewfinder. At the commencement of an exposure cycle, the shutter mechanism of the camera exposure control system is driven into a closed or light-blocking orientation whereupon the photographic camera is automatically operated to change from the viewing and focusing mode to an exposure mode in which photosensitive film is made accessible to the optical path of the taking lens of the camera. When the camera has assumed the exposure mode of operation, the exposure control system operates to release a shutter mechanism from its light-blocking orientation wherein such exposure control parameters as exposure interval and aperture size are controlled as a function of scene brightness as evaluated with respect to the sensitometric characteristic of the film being exposed. At the termination of the electronically determined exposure interval the shutter is again driven to a fully closed or light-blocking position to terminate exposure until such time as the camera reassumes the viewing and focusing mode.
Single reflex photographic cameras of the above-described type are suitable for use with film units described in detail in U.S. Patent to E. H. Land No. 3,415,644 entitled "Novel Photographic Products and Processes". Such film units include all the materials necessary to produce a positive photographic print by an image forming process which is now well known in the art and involves the formation of transverse image forming substances in an exposed photosensitive element by their diffusion in a manner forming a visual positive image.
Cameras of the above-described type generally embody a collapsible bellows together with a plurality of precisely articulated components all of which tend to increase manufacturing and assembly costs. Photographic cameras of the non-collapsible type suitable for use with self-developing film are sold commercially, however, such cameras are not of the single lens reflex variety and thus do not permit the camera user to select the exact subject matter of the scene to be photographed nor can the scene image be exactly focused for optimum sharpness. Non-collapsible cameras of the above-described type have also not been sold commercially for use with film units as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,644, supra.
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a photographic camera apparatus of the non-collapsible type which is suitable for use with film units of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,644, supra.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a single lens reflex photographic camera apparatus of the non-collapsible type suitable for use with film units of the self-developing type.
It is another object of this invention to provide a non-collapsible, single lens reflex, photographic camera apparatus suitable for use with self-developing film wherein the sizes of the optical elements making up the camera viewfinder are minimized in order to compact the overall size of the non-collapsible camera.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a non-collapsible, single lens reflex camera of a type suitable for use with self-developing film whereby individual film units may be ejected from the camera in a manner that reduces the risk than an ejecting film unit will be obstructed by the camera users hand.
It is an even further object of this invention to provide a non-collapsible, single lens reflex, photographic camera apparatus of a type suitable for use with self-developing film units where the spatial orientations of various camera components such as the viewfinder and film plane have been arranged to provide a compact side-by-side relationship.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a non-collapsible, single lens reflex, photographic camera apparatus of the type suitable for use with self-developing film wherein the camera apparatus may accommodate receipt of flash units for artificial illumination at a sufficient distance above the camera lens to avoid the problems of red eye, grotesque shadowing and the like.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.